Your Right to Know

WASHINGTON — A half-dozen members of Congress clamored in front of cameras to push aside a
barricade at the World War II Memorial, where nearly 200 veterans were waiting to enter
yesterday.

The veterans — most of them from Kansas City, Mo., many in wheelchairs and wearing medals won in
battle — shook hands and thanked the representatives for ensuring that they could see the memorial
despite the partial government shutdown. But some also pointedly questioned how Congress could let
this happen.

“It’s crazy seeing those people out there wanting to come in and not being able to come in,”
said Ted Gault, 89, from Kansas City, who served in the Air Force during World War II. “And then
you meet the senators or representatives who are out here and they’re the ones who are causing the
damn problem to start with.”

The memorial was among the 401 national parks closed because of the partial government
shutdown.

The controversy over access to parks has sparked a backlash, prompting the White House to weigh
in and calls for an investigation.

The House Natural Resources Committee yesterday launched a probe into why the memorials were
barricaded. Chairman Doc Hastings, R-Wash., sent a letter to National Park Service Director
Jonathan Jarvis criticizing the Obama administration’s restrictions to the memorials.

“Park Service’s decision to barricade the open-air memorials from veterans and other Americans
flies in the face of common sense, given their interest in visiting memorials that honor their
service and sacrifice to the country,” Hastings wrote.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the Department of Interior is making accommodations,
likely on First Amendment grounds, to allow future veterans groups to have access to the memorials.
He also said Republicans knew the consequences when they approved their budget.

The members of Congress on hand to greet the veterans included Reps. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo.; Mike
Pompeo, R-Kan.; and Michele Bachmann, R-Minn. Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, a member of the Senate
Republican leadership who has been critical of the House Republican strategy, also attended.